Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries
Seventy percent of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where radiotherapy machines, pathologists, essential medicines and palliative care are scarce. Global oncology works on affordable, adapted care and the systems to deliver it.
The Lancet Oncology Commissions (2010, 2015 radiotherapy GTFRCC, 2020 sustainable care) quantified the gaps: ~28 African countries have no radiotherapy, one pathologist per million people in parts of Africa, and cancer survival for children ~20% versus ~80% in high-income countries. Responses include the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (2018, target 60% survival by 2030), the WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative (2020: 90-70-90 targets), the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative, the WHO Essential Medicines List for cancer (updated 2023-25 to include trastuzumab, PD-1 inhibitors), the Access to Oncology Medicines Coalition (ATOM, UICC/2022), pooled procurement (St Jude-WHO Global Platform for childhood cancer medicines, delivering to 50 countries from 2025), differential pricing and generic/biosimilar entry, treatment protocols adapted for resource levels (NCCN Harmonized Guidelines for Africa, SIOP PODC), twinning programmes, telepathology and AI-assisted screening, and workforce training (AORTIC, ASCO International). Rays of Hope (IAEA, 2022) targets radiotherapy expansion. Cancer is increasingly part of universal health coverage debates.
How it works
Match the delivery system to the resource level without abandoning evidence: prioritise high-cure, low-cost interventions (cervical screening/vaccination, childhood cancer protocols, essential chemotherapy and surgery, palliative care) while building pathology, radiotherapy and workforce capacity.
- Large, cheap gains available (HPV vaccination, childhood ALL, Wilms, Burkitt, cervical screening)
- Pooled procurement and biosimilars are lowering prices
- International targets create accountability
- Financing and workforce shortfalls dwarf aid flows
- Cancer under-prioritised relative to infectious disease
- Data systems (registries) weak; late presentation common
Latest papers
topQuery for this technology: (TITLE:"Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries" OR ABSTRACT:"Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries, not a curated reading list.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- TechnologyFinancial toxicity and financial navigation
Shares Telehealth and hospital-at-home in oncology, Oncology drug pricing and price transparency, Cancer health disparities and equity and the tags gap-fill, equity.
- TechnologyCancer registries and population surveillance
Shares Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Cancer Institute of Iran, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar.
- TermFinancial toxicity
Shares Philippine General Hospital, Oncology drug pricing and price transparency, Cancer health disparities and equity and the tag gap-fill.
- TechnologyBrachytherapy
Shares Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Dharmais National Cancer Center, Institut National d'Oncologie, Rabat.
- TechnologyMultidisciplinary tumour boards
Shares Telehealth and hospital-at-home in oncology and the tag gap-fill.
- TechnologyElectronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) symptom monitoring
Shares Oncology nursing and nurse-led care, Telehealth and hospital-at-home in oncology, Early integrated palliative care and the tag gap-fill.
- TechnologyElectrochemotherapy
Shares Kaposi sarcoma and the tag gap-fill.
- ProductPomalidomide
Shares Kaposi sarcoma and the tag gap-fill.